Dairy product and method

ABSTRACT

A method of making a dairy product includes the steps of separating substantially pure dairy water from a dairy staring material, making the dairy water into a dairy product for consumption, the dairy product being substantially pure and free of impurities from the dairy starting material and packaging the dairy product.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/954,862,filed Sep. 30, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,468.

THE TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to a process concentrate and dairyproducts made therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous drinks, foods and the like are available for consumption andusage. Most consumer products do not take advantage of under utilizedresources—whey, milk and their components.

Cow (bovine) milk contains about 87 percent (%) water, 3% casein, 0.65%whey protein, 4.5% to 5.0% lactose, 3% to 4% milk fat, 0.3% to 0.7%mineral salt plus a variety of water and fat soluble vitamins, lacticand citric acids, urea, free amino acids and polypeptides. In themanufacture of cottage cheese or casein, the milk fat is first separatedcentrifugally (as cream) and the casein fraction of the milk is thenprecipitated at its isoelectric point by the addition of acid. Theprecipitated casein, about {fraction (1/10)}th of the original weight ofthe milk, is then treated to yield the desired casein product. Theremainder of the original milk, containing all of the other componentslisted above, is called whey.

For other cheeses, the process varies somewhat. The whole or part skimmilk is treated with an enzyme (such as rennet, porcine pepsin or avegetable enzyme) to coagulate and precipitate casein. The precipitatedcasein, called “curd”. is cut and treated in a suitable manner to yieldthe desired cheese, with the remainder of the original milk, calledwhey, being drained off the curd.

The average composition of whey obtained from ordinary cow milk (wholemilk) is 93 (weight percent) wt % water, 1 wt % protein, 0.3 wt % fat, 5wt % carbohydrates and 0.7 wt % ash. Whey often has a pH in the range ofabout 4 to about 7 but raw whey can be neutral, acidic or basic.

For example, cheese whey from Cheddar, Swiss or Italian cheese has a pHof 5.8 to 6.2 whereas whey from cottage cheese has a substantially lowerpH.

Whey, because of its about 5.6 to about 6.5 wt % solids content, haslong been recognized as a serious pollutant. However, its proteincontent (about 0.6 to about 0.8 wt %) has untapped commercial value andthe unusual property of being acid soluble. Whey proteins also have anexcellently well balanced ratio of essential amino acids making it asatisfactory source of protein for food fortification. The water andsolid components of whey and milk do not now have high commercial value.

Whey can be subjected to filtration to produce a retentate and permeatethat, for example, can be incorporated into a drink. European PatentApplication Nos. 0 019 415 (Stauffer Chemical Company) and 0 364 053(DMV-Campina P.V.) disclose drinks made from retentate and permeate,respectively.

The water separated from the milk is commonly referred to as dairy wateror cow water. Even when substantially pure, the dairy water contains upto about 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of impurities, such ascarbohydrates, protein and other non-water components of milk. It isdifficult, if not impossible, to remove all of the impurities. It isalso not cost effective to remove all of the impurities. According togovernment agencies, these impurities make the dairy water unfit forhuman ingestion.

It would be desirable to add value to milk, whey and their components.The present invention satisfies this desire.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Methods of making a process concentrate suitable for use to make a batchconcentrate or a dairy product are disclosed. The process concentratecontains a liquid dairy base (1) which is sterilized, (2) to which isadded an aliquot of the total amount of the preservative in the batchconcentrate (which preferably yields the correct amount of preservativethat is in the dairy product) or (3), when the dairy base is a retentateor dairy water, to which is added substantially all of the preservativein the dairy product. The batch concentrate contains either (1) water,the remainder of the preservative and the process concentrate or (2) theprocess concentrate and other components. The dairy base can beretentate or permeate of a dairy starting material, e.g., milk, defattedmilk, whey, defatted whey, permeate, retentate and defatted retentate orthe dairy water obtained from a dairy starting material.

If the dairy base is a permeate and the dairy product is a drink, it isimportant to stability that only an aliquot of the preservative bepresent in the process concentrate. If the total amount of thepreservative is present in the process concentrate then the preservativecould crystallize out at room temperature. The present method enablesthe production of process concentrate and batch concentrate that arestable at room temperature.

The process concentrate of alternate (2), above, to make the drink canbe made by mixing the liquid dairy base and the preservative aliquot,preferably at an elevated temperature, for a time period effective toform a homogeneous mixture. The pH of the dairy preservative mixture isreduced to a pH at which the preservative is effective, i.e., a pH belowabout 7. The temperature of the process concentrate can then be loweredto room temperature. The preservative is present in an amount effectiveto have a preserving effect on the process concentrate and remain insolution at the room temperature.

The batch concentrate, from the process concentrate of alternate (2),above, used to make the drink can preferably be prepared by mixing theremaining preservative with water followed by mixing with the processconcentrate. The total amount of preservative in the batch concentratepreferably is an amount that remains in solution at room temperature andprovides both a preserving effect and the total amount of preservativein the dairy product.

The retentate and permeate are produced by the filtration of the dairystarting material. The composition of the retentate and permeate dependupon the starting material and the type of filtration. The dairy wateris the permeate from the reverse osmosis of the dairy starting material.

The dairy product can be a drink, cheese spread, dip, dessert, consumerproducts (e.g., personal care products and pet care products) or thelike made from the process or batch concentrate or dairy water. Thedrink can be produced by mixing the batch concentrate with water.

The dairy product also can be used in a method of treating a urinarytract of a patient in need of such treatment by administering aneffective amount of the dairy product including the dairy base andlowering the pH of the patient's urine and urinary tract. Treatment of apatient's urinary tract can be effected in a convenient manner byadministering the dairy product in drink form.

Dairy products produced by any of the above-described methods provideanother use for milk, defatted milk, permeate, retentate and defattedretentate and a beneficial use for whey and defatted whey. The presentmethods enable the use of permeate or retentate without requiring anadditional treatment such as the hydrolysis of lactose. Production ofthe process concentrate and batch concentrate provides value to thedairy starting material and facilitates further processing.

In a further method of making a dairy product, dairy water is separatedfrom a dairy starting material and exposed to a sterilization process tomake the dairy water fit for ingestion.

In another embodiment, a dairy product includes substantially pure, fitfor ingestion, dairy water.

In a further embodiment, a dairy product includes milk or a milkcomponent, e.g., whey, whey proteins, casein and the like, and at leastone acid, base or preservative.

In yet another embodiment, a method of using dairy water to produce adairy product includes the steps of incorporating dairy water into aconsumer product and packaging the consumer product. The dairy waterpreferably is substantially pure.

Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiments and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many differentforms and will be described in detail, presently preferred embodimentsof the invention are described. It should be understood, however, thatthe present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of this invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the embodiments illustrated.

A process concentrate can be used to make a batch concentrate or a dairyproduct. The process concentrate includes a liquid dairy base (1) whichis sterilized, (2) to which is added an aliquot of the totalpreservative in the batch concentrate or (3), when the dairy base is aretentate or dairy water, to which is added substantially all of thepreservative in the dairy product.

The process concentrate of alternate (2), above, preferably is stableand made from permeate, includes the steps of mixing the dairy base andthe preservative aliquot to form a homogeneous mixture and reducing thepH of the mixture by mixing food grade acid therewith. Preferably, thepreservative and the dairy base are mixed prior to mixing the acidtherewith. Preferably, the mixing is performed at an elevatedtemperature. Optionally, the method also includes the step of loweringthe temperature of the process concentrate to room temperature. Thepreservative aliquot in the process concentrate is an amount effectiveto have a preserving effect on the process concentrate and not separateout of the process concentrate at room temperature. The acid is used toreduce the pH of the mixture to a pH at which the preservative iseffective. acid

The term “stable”, as used in its various grammatical forms to definethe process or batch concentrate, means that the components do notseparate out at room temperature. For example, the preservative does notseparate out of the process concentrate.

The term “room temperature”, as used in its various grammatical forms,identifies a temperature in the range of about 15° to about 30° C.

The term “batch concentrate”, as used in its various grammatical forms,identifies a concentrate that contains substantially all of thepreservative that will be in the dairy product.

The term “preserving effect”, as used in its various grammatical forms,means that the spoilage of the concentrate being discussed is inhibited.

Especially when the dairy product is a drink from a batch concentrateand the process concentrate is made using permeate from whey, it isimportant that the preservative not separate out. Therefore, the totalamount of preservative in the batch concentrate cannot be used in theprocess concentrate.

The batch concentrate, especially for a permeate-containing drink, isstable at room temperature and is made by mixing the remainder of thepreservative with water to form a second homogeneous mixture that ismixed with the process concentrate to produce the batch concentrate. Thetotal preservative in the batch concentrate is an amount effective tohave a preserving effect on the batch concentrate.

The pH of the batch concentrate can be reduced to a pH at which thepreservative is effective using additional food grade acid.Alternatively, the acid present in the process concentrate can be anamount effective to obtain a pH in the batch concentrate at which thepreservative is effective. In a further alternative, a base can be usedto obtain a pH at which the preservative is effective.

The dairy product can be a drink, cheese spread, dip, frozen dessert,consumer products (e.g., personal care and pet care products) or thelike made from the process or batch concentrate. When the dairy productis a drink it can be produced by diluting the batch concentrate withadditional water, e.g., distilled, uncarbonated, carbonated, dairy andthe like, and mixing. The drink can have a relatively low viscosity suchas soft drink or a relatively high viscosity such as a shake or frappe.

Sweetening agents, vitamins, minerals, food coloring, flavorants,stabilizers and the like can be added to the process concentrate, batchconcentrate or diluted batch concentrate.

Alternatively, the dairy product can be made by sterilizing the dairybase before or after further processing. Further processing can includepackaging, mixing with other components of the dairy product and thelike.

The dairy product can be used to treat a urinary tract of a patient inneed of treatment. The treatment method includes the steps ofadministering an effective amount of the dairy product that includes thedairy base and lowering the pH (acidification) of the urine and theurinary tract. Preferably, the treatment also includes the step ofmonitoring the condition of the urinary tract. The dairy productacidifies the urine and the urinary tract to inhibit or prohibit thegrowth of bacteria in the urinary tract. The suitable dairy productpreferably contains nonprotein nitrogen, vitamin C, potassium, lactose,benzoate preservative and fructose. It is presently theorized that oneor more of these components of the dairy product contribute to urinetract acidification. The dairy product can be administered repeatedlythroughout the day to maintain a low pH in the urinary tract or can beadministered periodically to temporarily lower the pH and permit the pHto rise prior to again administering the dairy product. Preferably, thedairy base is the permeate obtained from whey and the dairy product is adrink.

The dairy base is the retentate or permeate of the filtration of thedairy starting material, e.g., milk, defatted milk, whey, defatted whey,permeate, retentate or defatted retentate or the dairy water obtained byevaporation and condensation of water from the dairy starting material.Preferably, the milk is cow (bovine) milk and the dairy startingmaterial is obtained from cow milk. Most preferably, the dairy startingmaterial is permeate, especially from cheese whey. Alternatively, themilk can be from another dairy animal such as a goat. The defatted milk,whey and retentate are conventional products that can be produced bycentrifuging to separate the fat therefrom. Any edible whey can be usedindividually or admixed with other whey. Thus, cheddar cheese whey canbe used with cottage cheese whey. Preferably, the whey is a sweet whey.

Filtration is a known process that separates the dairy starting materialinto retentate and permeate using a semipermeable membrane. The membranepermits water and, depending upon the selection of the membrane andoperating conditions of the filtration process, low molecular weightsubstances dissolved in the dairy starting material to pass therethrough(permeate) but retains higher molecular weight substances (retentate),e.g., colloidally disbursed proteins, micelles of protein and minerals,fat globules and the like. Filtration can be accomplished usingultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (R/O) and the like.

When R/O is utilized, the permeate is dairy water which is substantiallyall water. The dairy water is treated twice, once biologically by theanimal and once mechanically by R/O or evaporation/condensation.

The composition of the retentate and permeate depend upon the dairystarting material, filtration temperature and the filter membrane.Typical compositions for whole milk, skim milk and whey are providedbelow.

TABLE I UF WHOLE MILK ANALYSIS PERCENT ANALYSIS Conc. Total Factor¹Solids Fat Protein Lactose Ash Retentate: 1X 13 4 3 4.7 0.8 3X 29 13 104.1 1.3 5X 43 22 16 3.2 1.9 Permeate: 1X 5.7 0 0.0 4.8 0.5 3X 6.1 0 0.065.1 0.5 5X 6.1 0 0.5 5.2 0.5 ¹Concentration Factor.

TABLE II UF SKIM MILK ANALYSIS PERCENT ANALYSIS Conc. Total Factor¹Solids Protein Lactose Ash Retentate: 1X 8.5 3 5 0.74 3X 15.5 9 4.7 1.265X 21.8 15 4.5 1.70 Permeate: 1X 5 0 4.5 0.4 3X 5.7 0.1 5.3 0.5 5X 6.10.1 5.5 0.5 ¹Concentration Factor.

TABLE III UF WHEY ANALYSIS PERCENT ANALYSIS Conc. Total Factor¹ SolidsLactose Protein Retentate: 1X 6 4 0.7 2.5X 7.3 3.7 1.9 10X 13.5 4.0 7.120X 20 3.2 12.1 Permeate: 1X 5.2 3.8 0.24 2.5X 5.2 3.9 0.3 20X 6.2 4.50.7 Commercial 12.0 10.5 0.38 Commercial 24.0 21.0 0.7 ¹ConcentrationFactor.

Typically, the composition of the permeate is, if produced from a R/Oprocess, dairy water or, if produced from a UF process, about 75 toabout 95 wt % water, about 0.1 to about 0.5 wt % protein and about 5 toabout 25 wt % total other solids. The other solids includecarbohydrates, fats and ash. The permeate at an elevated solidsconcentration is preferably at an elevated temperature to maintain thesolubility of the lactose.

The preservative is preferably a benzoate such as sodium, potassiumbenzoate and the like. Potassium benzoate is preferred because of thedesire to reduce sodium consumption. The benzoate can be a crystal thatis dissolved in water prior to use. For dairy water, known preservativesfor water can also be used, e.g., chlorine, iodine, and the like. Thepreservative can have a flavoring effect.

The acid can be a flavorant for the dairy product. Representative acidsinclude citric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid and otherconventional food grade acids.

Representative bases include sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and thelike.

Sterilization can be accomplished by the application of heat, e.g., apasteurization temperature or higher, a chemical, irradiation or thelike. Sterilization can be performed before or after the addition to thedairy base of other components of the process concentrate.

The sweetening agent can be a natural or artificial sweetener.Representative sweetening agents include sugar, fructose, aspartame(commercially available under the tradename Nutrasweet®), corn sweetenerand the like.

The vitamins and minerals that can be present are conventional.Representative vitamins are ascorbic acid (vitamin-C), and the like.Representative minerals are potassium and the like.

The conventional flavorant is natural or artificial, an extract orflavor or a mixture thereof. Representative flavorants include citricacid (to provide an citric flavor), phosphoric acid (cola), orange,lime, lemon and the like.

The conventional colorant is natural, artificial or a mixture thereof.

The conventional stabilizer is natural, artificial or a mixture thereof.Representative stabilizers include gums, starches and the like. Thestabilizer can thicken the product.

The dairy product drink can be carbonated as by using carbonated waterinstead of uncarbonated water when diluting the batch concentrate or byinjecting gaseous carbon dioxide into the concentrate or dairy product.

The water used in the batch concentrate or to dilute the batchconcentrate can be dairy water.

The composition of the process and batch concentrates depend upon thedairy base used and the type of dairy product to be produced.Representative compositions are provided below.

The process concentrate can contain, based on the total weight of thecomponents present, about 90 to about 99, preferably about 91 to about98, wt % dairy base, about 0 to about 0.8, preferably about 0.01 toabout 0.8, most preferably about 0.01 to about 0.7, wt % preservativeand about 1 to about 10, preferably about 2 to about 9, wt % acid.

The batch concentrate can contain, based on the total weight of thecomponents present, about 1 to about 90, preferably about 30 to about50, wt % water, about 0 to about 0.8, preferably about 0.01 to about0.8, most preferably about 0.01 to about 0.7, wt % preservative andabout 10 to about 50, preferably about 10 to about 45, wt % processconcentrate. The total solids content is about 10 to about 40 wt %. Thetotal amount of preservative in the batch concentrate is preferablyabout 0.01 to about 0.7 wt %. The total amount of acid in the batchconcentrate is that effective to lower the pH of the batch concentrateto a pH at which the preservative is effective. The total amount of aciddepends upon the pH and amount and type of the retentate or permeate,preservative and the like.

The batch concentrate can be diluted with water at a weight ratio ofabout 99:1 to about 1:99, preferably about 10:1 to about 1:10, of batchconcentrate to water to produce a drink.

The sweetening agent, vitamins, minerals, flavorant, colorant andstabilizers, if utilized, are present in amounts effective to obtain thedesired sweetness, nutritional content, flavor, color and stability.

The dairy base and preservative aliquot preferably are mixed at atemperature in the range of about 15° C. to a sterilization temperature,preferably to about 75° C. for a time period effective to form thehomogeneous mixture.

The process concentrate can be made directly into the dairy product orinto the batch concentrate which can then be made into the dairyproduct.

When the dairy base is dairy water, it can be made into a dairy productby separating the dairy water from the dairy starting material andpreparing the dairy water for ingestion such as by exposure tosterilization, addition with carbonation, flavoring or preservatives orthe like or by packaging the dairy water. The dairy water can be madefit for ingestion by sterilization, either before or after beingseparated from the dairy starting material. Preferably, the dairy wateris substantially pure. It is possible to combine the dairy water toproduce other dairy products, food products, consumer products and thelike.

The term “fit for ingestion”, as used in its various grammatical forms,indicates that the dairy water meets or exceeds the minimum requirementsof the United States Food and Drug Administration or other governmentalagency for products to be ingested by humans.

The term “substantially pure”, as used in its various grammatical forms,indicates that the dairy water contains impurities from the milk in anamount less than about 10,000, preferably less than about 1,000, mostpreferably less than about 500, parts per million (ppm). Representativeimpurities include carbohydrates, proteins, ash, lactose and othernon-water components from milk. The term substantially pure relates tothe amount of impurities from milk or milk components that are presentin the dairy water and does not preclude the presence of ingredientsfrom non-milk sources in the dairy products, food products, consumerproducts or the like made using the dairy water.

In a further embodiment, a dairy product includes milk or a component ofmilk and at least one acid, base or preservative. A preferred componentof milk is proteins, whey, whey proteins, casein and the like. Theproteins, including the whey proteins and casein, also havefunctionality for many applications, e.g., food, medical and the like.

In yet a further embodiment, a method of using dairy water includes thesteps of incorporating dairy water into a consumer product and packagingthe consumer product. The consumer product is a non-food product thatcan be a personal care product, a health care product, an animal careproduct, a plant care product, a household product or the like. Theconsumer product can be applied to a person or animal. Preferredconsumer products include shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, rinses,cleansers and the like. A conventional base, e.g., a shampoo,conditioner, body lotion, etc. base, is mixed with the dairy water toproduce the desired consumer product. The dairy water can be the waterphase of the consumer product.

The following Examples are given by way of illustration, and notlimitation.

Comparative Example 1

Preparation of Concentrate A Including Fructose

An unsuccessful attempt was made to make process concentrate usingpermeate from the filtration of cheese whey. A commercial permeate wasused having a solids content of about 12 wt % of which about 89 wt % waslactose, about 9 wt % was ash and the remainder was protein and fat. Theconcentrate A included the permeate, a potassium benzoate solution,citric acid and fructose. The wt %, wt grams (g)%, and pH for eachcomponent are provided in TABLE IV, below. The potassium benzoatesolution was made by dissolving 109 g of potassium benzoate in 363 g ofwater.

TABLE IV COMPOSITION OF CONCENTRATE A Parameter Component wt % wt (g)pH¹ Permeate 68.1 3,092 6.05 Potassium Benzoate 0.5 23 6.02 Solution²Citric Acid 2.4 109 2.74 Fructose 29.0 1,312 2.68 ¹Measurement afteraddition of this component. ²The potassium benzoate solution was made bydissolving 109 g of potassium benzoate commercially available from MilesInc. Elkhart, IN and 363 g of water.

The permeate was introduced into a suitable vessel. The potassiumbenzoate solution was then slowly added to the permeate with mixing toproduce a homogeneous permeate and benzoate mixture. Next, the citricacid was slowly introduced into the vessel with mixing. Then, thefructose was introduced into the vessel with mixing until the fructosewas dissolved. The resultant concentrate A was unsatisfactory because itcrystallized and settled out.

Comparative Example 2

Preparation of Concentrate B

An unsuccessful attempt was made to make a concentrate B using thecommercial permeate of COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1, the potassium benzoatesolution and citric acid. A drop of defoamer commercially available fromDow was first added to the permeate. The components, the wt(g) and wt %of each component utilized and the pH of the mixture after addition ofeach component are listed in TABLE V, below.

TABLE V COMPOSITION OF CONCENTRATE B Parameter Component wt (g) wt % pH¹Permeate 3,632 96.4 6.2 Potassium Benzoate 30.1 0.8 6.2 Solution² CitricAcid 104 2.4 3.3 Defoamer 1 drop — — ¹Measurement after addition of thiscomponent. ²The potassium benzoate solution was made by dissolving 109 gof potassium benzoate commercial available from Miles Inc. Elkhart, INand 363 g of water.

The permeate was introduced into a suitable vessel and the defoamer wasthen added with mixing. The potassium benzoate was slowly added withmixing. Next, the citric acid was slowly added with mixing until it wasdissolved. After about a short time period the mixture started tocrystallize.

The concentrates of COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 and 2 both failed. Both ofthe experimental concentrates use potassium benzoate in an amount sothat the addition of subsequent potassium benzoate was not necessary.

EXAMPLE 1

Production of Process Concentrate

The commercial permeate had a water content of about 88 wt %, a drymatter content (carbohydrate) of about 11 wt % and a protein, crude fat,ash, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and the like of about 1 wt %.

TABLE VI PROCESS CONCENTRATE Parameter Component wt (g) wt % pH¹Permeate 3,480 95.9 6.2 Potassium Benzoate Solution² 21.6 0.6 6.13Citric Acid 126 3.5 — Defoamer 0.36 0.001 — ¹Measurement after additionof this component. ²The potassium benzoate solution was made bydissolving 3.6 g of potassium benzoate commercial available from MilesInc. Elkhart, IN and 18 g of water.

The permeate was introduce into a suitable vessel. The temperature ofthe permeate was 124° F. The defoamer was added to the permeate. Thepotassium benzoate solution was added with mixing. The citric acid wasthen added with mixing. Mixing stopped after the acid had dissolved. Theprocess concentrate was permitted to cool to 70° F. The processconcentrate did not crystallize.

EXAMPLE 2

Preparation of Batch Concentrate

A batch concentrate was produced using the process concentrate ofEXAMPLE 1. Into a suitable vessel, 1,640 g of water and 8 g of potassiumbenzoate at 70° C. were introduced and mixed until the benzoate haddissolved. Then, 5.8 g of aspartame and 5.2 g of ascorbic acid were addand mixed until the aspartame was dissolved. Then, 660 g of fructose wasadded and mixed until dissolved. Then, 1,640 g of the processconcentrate of EXAMPLE 1 was added and mixed. Lastly, 32 g of flavorantwas added and mixed. The resultant batch concentrate was stable and didnot crystallize or settle out at 70° F. or 35 F.

This invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments setforth in detail. It should be understood, however, that theseembodiments are presented by way of illustration only, and that theinvention is not necessarily limited thereto. Modifications andvariations within the spirit and scope of the claims that follow will bereadily apparent from this disclosure, as those skilled in the art willappreciate.

I claim:
 1. A method of making a non-milk dairy beverage comprising thesteps of: subjecting material selected from the group consisting ofmilk, defatted milk, whey, defatted whey, permeate, retentate anddefatted retentate of the filtration of a dairy starting material andcondensate of the evaporated water from dairy starting material toreverse osmosis to separate a pure dairy water permeate therefrom;combining the dairy water with a non-milk additive in a non-milk dairyproduct for consumption, the dairy product being substantially pure andfree of impurities from the dairy starting material; and packaging thesubstantially pure non-mile dairy beverage.
 2. The method of claim 1further comprising the step of combining the dairy water and at leastone non-milk source additive selected from the group consisting ofpreservatives, acids, bases, carbonation, sweetening agents, vitamins,minerals, food colorings, flavorants and stabilizers.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising the step of combining the dairy water and atleast one preservative.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising thestep of combining the dairy water and at least one acid.
 5. The methodof claim 1 further comprising the step of combining the dairy water andat least one base.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the stepof combining the dairy water and carbonation.
 7. The method of claim 1further comprising the step of combining the dairy water and at leastone sweetening agent.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising thestep of combining the dairy water and at least one vitamin.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising the step of combining the dairywater and at least one mineral.
 10. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the step of combining the dairy water and at least one foodcoloring.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step ofcombining the dairy water and at least one flavorant.
 12. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising the step of combining the dairy water and atleast one stabilizer.
 13. A packaged, substantially pure non-milk dairybeverage made in accordance with claim
 1. 14. A method of using a dairystarting material in a consumer product, the method comprising the stepsof: separating pure dairy water permeate from a dairy starting materialby reverse osmosis: incorporating the separated pure dairy water into aconsumer product, the consumer product being substantially pure and freeof impurities from the dairy starting material; and packaging theconsumer product.
 15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the stepof exposing the dairy water to a sterilization process to make the dairywater fit for ingestion.